Thornton concentrates her practice in residential and commercial real estate law and manages relationships with mortgage lenders, title companies and the general public, helping reduce clients’ risks and avoid potential lawsuits.

Prior to her career at Glankler Brown, Thornton worked as a communications director for a local charitable organization, writing grants, organizing volunteers and overseeing public relations and fundraising. She also worked as a prosecuting attorney and a public defender for Shelby County.

Karen Lakin has been accepted as a member of the Ray E. Helfer Society, an elite group of doctors who specialize in child maltreatment. Lakin, medical director of the Child Assessment Program at Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, is a leader in the field of child abuse and neglect. Lakin began taking on more cases involving child abuse shortly after joining the UT Medical Group and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Department of Pediatrics in 1999.

Anna Beth Drinkard has been promoted to production manager for Mangiante Photography. Drinkard previously worked as production coordinator. She will continue to be responsible for managing the production of products and services, helping manage office databases and assisting with sales, customer service, data entry and onsite support at events. Drinkard joined Mangiante Photography in 2007 as an office assistant.

Hemline Creative Marketing has won five 2008 MarCom Awards from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. Hemline won the awards for work completed for Ballet Memphis, Stella restaurant and Echo Partners.

Jean Backus has joined Unity Hospice Care as quality improvement/education coordinator. She will work out of the Germantown office.

Five members of law firm Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC have been included in Best Lawyers in America 2009. They are Richard M. Carter for commercial litigation, W. Thomas Hutton for trusts and estates, Jeffrey E. Thompson for trusts and estates, David C. Wade for commercial litigation and James C. Warner for real estate law. These lawyers also were named as 2008 Mid-South Super Lawyers by Law & Politics along with Lee L. Piovarcy and Shea Sisk Wellford.

Stephanie R. Stephens has been named director of the physical plant at Southwest Tennessee Community College. Stephens most recently was associate director of administration at ALSAC-St. Jude. She earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Christian Brothers University.

R. Mathew Brinner of Glankler Brown PLLC has been named to the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis. Brinner concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate and business transactions, real estate and secured lending.

Paragon National Bank’s advertising campaign has received an Excellence in Advertising award for 2008 from the Independent Community Bankers of America. The campaign included print and radio ads. The campaign was recognized for its humor.